Display device and method of providing the same

Abstract

A method of providing a display device includes preparing a display panel including a first area, a bending area extending from the first area, and a second area extending from the bending area, attaching an impact absorbing layer to the display panel, removing a first removal portion of a first release film which overlaps the second area, among portions of the first release film disposed on the impact absorbing layer, and providing a cover tape on a first portion of the impact absorbing layer from which the first removal portion is removed.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method of manufacturing a display device, the method comprising:
 preparing a display panel comprising a display area, a bending area extending from the display area, and a non-display area extending from the bending area; 
 at each of the display area, the bending area and the non-display area:
 providing an impact absorbing layer on the display panel; and 
 providing a first release film on the impact absorbing layer; 
 
 providing a first removal portion of the first release film separated from the impact absorbing layer at the non-display area to expose a first portion of the impact absorbing layer to outside the first release film; and 
 providing a cover tape on the first portion of the impact absorbing layer which is exposed to outside the first release film. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein
 the impact absorbing layer includes the first portion and a second portion which is adjacent to the first portion and corresponds to the display area and the bending area, and 
 the providing of the first removal portion of the first release film separated from the impact absorbing layer at the non-display area provides a second removal portion of the first release film which corresponds to the second portion of the impact absorbing layer. 
 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 providing a first boundary of the first release film which is between the first removal portion and the second removal portion, and 
 providing a laser beam to the first boundary of the first release film which is between the first removal portion and the second removal portion to separate the first removal portion and the second removal portion at the first boundary. 
 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 3 , wherein
 the first release film has a thickness of about 40 micrometers to about 60 micrometers, and 
 in the providing of the laser beam to the first boundary, the laser beam is provided to the first boundary multiple times at a speed of about 300 millimeters per second, is not irradiated to the impact absorbing layer, and has an energy of about 5 watts to about 10 watts. 
 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 3 , wherein the first boundary of the first release film corresponds to the non-display area of the display panel. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 3 , wherein the first boundary of the first release film corresponds a boundary between the non-display area and the bending area of the display panel. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising providing in order:
 the display panel; 
 an input sensing layer; 
 a color filter layer; 
 the impact absorbing layer; and 
 a window corresponding to the display area and the bending area of the display panel. 
 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the providing of the impact absorbing layer includes continuously extending the impact absorbing layer from the display area to the non-display area via the bending area. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the impact absorbing layer comprises polyethylene terephthalate, polyethylene naphthalate, polycarbonate, cyclo-olefin polymer, polyethersulfone, polyarylate or polyimide. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising irradiating a laser beam to a hole area defined in the display panel and the impact absorbing layer to form a hole through the display panel. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 1 , wherein
 the non-display area of the display panel includes a driving integrated circuit, and 
 the providing of the impact absorbing layer includes spacing the impact absorbing layer in the non-display area apart from the driving integrated circuit in the non-display area. 
 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising irradiating a laser beam to a hole area defined in the display panel to form a hole. 
     
     
       13. A display device comprising:
 a display panel comprising a display area including pixels, a bending area extending from the display area, and a non-display area extending from the bending area; 
 a driving integrated circuit in the non-display area; 
 an impact absorbing layer on the display panel, the impact absorbing layer overlapping the pixels of the display area and continuously extending from the display area to the non-display area via the bending area; and 
 a window facing the display panel with the impact absorbing layer therebetween, 
 wherein the impact absorbing layer in the non-display area is spaced apart from the driving integrated circuit in the non-display area. 
 
     
     
       14. The display device of  claim 13 , wherein
 the display panel and the impact absorbing layer together define a hole therethrough, and 
 the hole corresponds to a functional element of the display device which provides a function thereto. 
 
     
     
       15. The display device of  claim 13 , wherein
 the display panel defines a hole therethrough, 
 the hole corresponds to a functional element of the display device which provides a function thereto, and 
 the hole does not extend into the impact absorbing layer. 
 
     
     
       16. The display device of  claim 13 , further comprising a functional element of the display device which provides a function thereto,
 wherein 
 the display area comprises:
 a first display area which corresponds to the functional element of the display device, the first display area comprising a first pixel among the pixels and a transmission area which is adjacent to the first pixel, and 
 a second display area which is adjacent to the first display area, the second display area comprising a second pixel among the pixels, 
 
 each of the first display area and the second display area has a light transmittance, 
 the light transmittance of the first display area is higher than the light transmittance of the second display area, 
 within the first display area, the light transmittance at the transmission area is higher than the light transmittance at the first pixel, and 
 the impact absorbing layer is in both the first display area and the second display area. 
 
     
     
       17. The display device of  claim 13 , further comprising a functional element of the display device which provides a function thereto,
 wherein 
 the display area comprises:
 a first display area which corresponds to the functional element of the display device, the first display area comprising a first pixel among the pixels and a transmission area which is adjacent to the first pixel; and 
 a second display area which is adjacent to the first display area, the second display area comprising a second pixel among the pixels, 
 
 the impact absorbing layer is in the second display area, and 
 the impact absorbing layer defines a hole corresponding to the first display area. 
 
     
     
       18. The display device of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 a first portion of the impact absorbing layer corresponding to the non-display area, and 
 a cover tape on the first portion of the impact absorbing layer and the driving integrated circuit. 
 
     
     
       19. The display device of  claim 13 , wherein the impact absorbing layer comprises polyethylene terephthalate, polyethylene naphthalate, polycarbonate, cyclo-olefin polymer, polyethersulfone, polyarylate or polyimide. 
     
     
       20. The display device of  claim 13 , wherein the impact absorbing layer has a thickness of about 20 micrometers to about 200 micrometers.